Dear Friends,
The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20: *So if anyone is in
Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see,
everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled with us
through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is,
in Christ God was reconciling with the world and entrusting the message of
reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making
God's appeal through us...*
Theologian Gordon Kaufman describes Christian community like this: *Christians
are called to life in this new community in and through which their
hatreds, enmities, and warfares with one another will be calmed, and where
they will become bearers of a spirit that brings reconciliation and love,
peace and freedom into human affairs.*
The Mennonite vision statement is an echo of these sentiments: *God calls
us to be followers of Jesus Christ and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to
grow as communities of grace, joy and peace, so that God’s healing and hope
flow through us to the world.*
Austin Mennonite Church is rolling into the activities of the last quarter
of 2015 and we are beginning to plan for 2016 year. Over the next 6 months
we will be having small group gatherings in homes. Like many urban
congregations, we have people coming and going and we need to create
opportunities beyond Sunday morning to get to know each other. I hope you
have the opportunity to participate in these small group gatherings. It is
my prayer that these gatherings will kindle the spirit of Christian
community among us.
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*Sharing of joys and concerns from Sunday, Oct 4*
- Peggy - pray for the Middle East.
- Andy - happy to be here today.
- Ann - a person with disabilities needs an apartment.
- Larry - we are doing lots of traveling this month.
- Rebeca - sign up for small groups, if you haven't already.
- Stacey B. - pray for victims of shooting in Oregon and victims of gun
violence.
- Steve H. - pray for an employee where he works whose mother needs leg
surgery (possible amputation).
- Monica - concerned about bombing of a hospital in Afghanistan where
Doctors Without Borders were serving.
- Rudy - enjoys the children in the church.
- Dama - pray for the unity of the church.
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*Announcements/Calendar*
- Adult Sunday school class discussing the book *Chosen?* - please read
the article in the latest issue of *The Mennonite* entitled "Combatant
for a just peace: Yonatan Shapira, an Israeli military veteran, speaks out
for justice for Palestinians." Here's the link:
- https://themennonite.org/feature/combatant-for-a-just-peace/
*Oct 11, **SUN*
- 9:30a - Sunday school for all ages.
- 11a - worship - Psalm 90; Mark 10:17-31.
- 12:15p (-ish) - Outreach and Service Committee meeting.
- 1p - Contemplative prayer group at Ruth Anne Abraham's, 2106 Point
Bluff Drive.
*Oct 13, TUE, 7p* – Leadership Board meeting.
*Oct 15, THU, 7p* – Women’s group.
*Oct 18, **SUN* – SS, worship, young adult lunch.
*Oct 24, **SAT**, 8-noon* – AMC workday.
*Oct, 25, **SUN* – SS, worship, men’s group.
*Oct 30-31* – Western District Conference Annual Assembly, Bethel
College, North
Newton, Kansas. Lee Lever and Michael Shirk (AMC delegate) are attending.
*Oct 31, **SAT**, 9a-noon – *Coordinating Council.
*Oct 31, **SAT** – *Hands on Housing workday.
*Lee Lever, Pastor*
*Austin Mennonite Church*
AustinMennonite.org
